Mazatlan Trip---lots of detail.

Here are the juicy details of my first missions trip, down to Mazatlan.

Upon arriving in Mazatlan, I realized immediately that we stepped out of the oven and into the steamer! The weather wass very humid there and was constantly sweating, even though we had very little sun and have not hit 90 at all.

When we arrived we went on a little tour of the city and stopped at a neat lookout point where we saw a cliff jumper go from about 50 feet up into what he said was 5 feet of water! It was amazing. The other young guy, Weston offered me money to go do it, but I didn't have a towel, so I decided not to. :-)

We were all hungry so we went to a local restaurant called Panama, which is one that supports Carlos and Marilu in their ministry with regular food donations for the feeding centers (more on that in a minute). The food was absolutely amazing, so tasty and healthful. I have to figure out how to make or where to get Sopes, they are incredible. They're like a dinner version of a shortcake, somewhat like a cornbread. Very tasty!

We then went to where we are staying at Carlos and Marilu's house. Weston, Doug, Steve and I are staying in a room with two bunk beds and a very small air conditioning unit. We kicked the two guys down stairs that are admitted snorers!

Carlos and Marilu are very neat people, they've been married for 28 years and Carlos has been a Christian for 18 years now. You can see their love for the people and their love for each other as they go throughout their day. Their daughter Gabby is a teacher locally and is engaged to be married in December to Mike who is a Canadian that works with Carlos in the ministry. Love is a universal language as they remind me of many American couples who are engaged, with lots of "mi amor" going back and forth. They are both also EXCELLENT translators.

Thursday night we went to their regular church service, where there was a neat time of worship. About 1/2 of their songs were songs that were written in English and translated into Spanish, so I was able to sing along with some (the overhead projector was not working). Steve then shared the message and did a wonderful job, as many enjoyed the message of encouragement. We stayed around afterward and I got to talk to the teenage boy who led worship and did a wonderful job. He and Weston had fun talking about a couple of songs that they both knew, as I looked on and realized how little I know on the guitar!

We went straight home and were in bed by about 10, as this morning was an early rise morning. We were at the first feeding center at about 7am to see the program that they put on there. Every day there are 4 centers throughout the city that feed a total of 200 children at least one meal a day. This is the time that affected me the greatest. The area was in a neighborhood with deplorable conditions. It is surrounded by a salt water marsh and is an area without plumbing or trash collection. The people in the area have out houses that have a 4 inch pipe that goes directly into the marsh, so the marsh is full of trash and human waste and an odor that is overwhelming at times.

One of the cool things that they are doing down here is building houses for people in the area that have land, but unacceptable housing conditions. They showed us some of the 11 houses that they have built in the last year and a half. They can build one of these houses for a mere $4,000 and some labor. I am thinking that I might be moved to organize a team to go back and build a house and do some child evangelism.

Afterwards we went to Panama again and had a wonderful breakfast and a time of talking and praying about the day ahead. By about 10 we were heading into the prison. The prison is much cleaner and not as crowded as I had expected. We started our time there by holding a worship service in a ramada in the middle of the prison yard. Larry shared his very powerful testimony and I shared an encouraging word from John 6:1-15. It was wierd using a translator, but I found it kind of nice to have a second to think about what you were going to say next without an awkward pause. We then went into a secluded cell block for recovering drug addicts. They tell us that about 30 of the 90 prisoners in that area are now Christians, and they have the highest success with staying off of drugs. Doug shared from 2Cor and we got to have lunch (brought in from outside, but prepared inside) and spend some time just talking and hanging out with some of the Christian prisoners.

One thing that was a blessing to me is the surprising amount that I was able to understand. I was able to catch most of what they say when they are talking and was able to make do when there's no translator around. :-) I realized when I thought about it that I had not studied or practiced Spanish in over 12 years!

Friday night we had the prayer meeting that started at 7. Steve and Paul shared something each from the Bible (maybe 5-10 minutes each) and there was extended periods of prayer. It was neat to listen to the passion and love that they had in their voices as they prayed. It was also interesting to listen as 3-4 people pray out loud at the same time. Doug, Paul and I split duties as we got to take communion together. I did a few minutes on the significance of the bread and Paul shared about the cup while Doug tied it all together. I have been quite impressed with Doug has he has been thrust into a few situations and has had wonderfully thoughtful things to share with those there. After communion, we took a few minutes break and then it was an open prayer and share time, where we got to hear a few testimonies and some prayer requests. I marvelled at how all of these things could have been easily said in a meeting at Faith Bible at home, just with a few twists, but the human condition is the same here as it is there.

The prayer meeting went until 10, and then about half of the people there (there were probably 50 originally) drove to the top of a nearby mountain to pray for the city. We drove around to three different parts of the mountain to pray over all of the city. These people have wonderful passion in their prayers and genuine concern for the condition of those in the city and the impact that Mazatlan could have as a port and tourist city.

Funny story- They appearantly don't eat dinner here past 2 or 3 in the afternoon, and Weston and I didn't realize this (well, we were the only ones complaining) and during the break at the prayer meeting (about 9pm), we were saying how hungry we were when we realized that the communion was saltine crackers, so Weston went and snagged us a couple of crackers. We commented how they were the best saltines we had!!!

We got to bed after 11 and were back up at 615 this morning for the men's prayer breakfast. There were 15 or so men there, from computer network engineers to unemployed ex-cons. Larry, Weston and I shared a bit (I shared my testimony, which I wasn't expecting to do, but it went well) and then we got to hear a couple of testimonies from a couple of men who had been encarcerated. This meeting was in one of the other feeding centers and after a breakfast of eggs and refried beans.

Afterward we went to see the fourth feeding center. This was the newest and just completed in July. They purchased the land from a couple in the church and then built a building large enough for a church/feeding center on the main level with two classrooms and then three bedrooms upstairs with a bathroom for the family to live in. The family that they purchased it from now runs the feeding center and lives there. They hope to have a church there soon.

We went back home for a short break before heading into the prison. Saturday was family visitation day in the prison, so it was quite busy there, and created an atmosphere more similar to what I expected, with lots of vendors and people running around and yelling and making noise. There were a lot more people at the open air ramada that we did teaching at. Paul tought and then Weston did a lesson with some singing, a little service. We went into a different cell block that I felt much more dangerous and "predatored" with people begging and asking for something constantly. Steve did a great lesson for those there and we had another service and then a lunch again of eggs with refried beans, not my favorito.

I think today's experience was a much more realistic view of what goes on in the prison. Saturday afternoon we went to the Old Mazatlan downtown and walked around a marketplace that was established in 1899. It was pretty much what you would expect with people constantly yelling and asking you to buy things that are pretty low quality.

Saturday night we went to a nice seafood restaurant in the "Zona Dorada" to take the family out. I got to see (from a distance) that last 3 innings of the final DBacks/Cubbies game, so that was a special treat for me. We had a rocous time and even did a pretend birthday for one of the guys, but they thought it was me, so I am now Pablo, the silly American that had the happy birthday sung to him.

Sunday morning was a blur as we rushed from home to breakfast, then off to church service, then off to the airport to head home.

The entire trip was fast, and it was amazing to see God's work in all of the people there. I hope to be able to go back again sometime.